Sixty Days for 2.1.22 — A prime-time look at the 2022 Legislative Session

Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2021 Legislative Session:

The Last 24

The committee backing a ballot amendment to bring casinos to North Florida is suing for more time after the clock ran out to gather petition signatures. Florida Voters In Charge, backed by the casino company Las Vegas Sands, is challenging state laws related to petition signature verification and asked a judge to waive the provisions that petition signature verification processes stop at a 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday. As it stands, anything not processed by the deadline is thrown out. Here’s your nightly rundown.

Keep it clean. A measure (HJR 1127) that would limit the subject of citizen initiatives to procedural matters or to the structure of government or the constitution is ready for the House floor.

Union rules. A bill (HB 1203) that would let school districts decide if unions should be able to bargain over teacher evaluations cleared its final committee.

Unwoke. A bill banning (HB 7) instruction that could cause someone to feel discomfort because of his or her demographics is approaching the end of the House committee process.

See you Sunday. The House Judiciary Committee OK’d a bill (HB 215) that would ensure church doors are among the last to close during a declared state of emergency.

Second chances. A bill (HB 195) that would expand juvenile expunction laws to include felonies and arrests beyond a minor’s first offense cleared its final committee.

Restrain yourself. An update (HB 235) to last year’s law that banned seclusion and limited the use of restraints to discipline students with disabilities received unanimous approval in its final committee.

One-day minimum. A bill (HB 1439) that would ban hourly rates to curb prostitution and human trafficking passed its second committee.

Organized crime. A bill (SB 1534) to crack down on the uptick in “boosters” and organized crime rings stealing from retail stores advanced through its second committee.

PBM rules. Pharmacy benefit managers that don’t register with the state can face a $10,000 fne under a bill (HB 357) that is moving its way through the House.

Excused absence. Democratic Sen. Randolph Bracy wanted to present “forceful opposition” to the elections police bill (SB 524), but he was sidelined by COVID-19.

Quote of the Day

“We believe we have submitted the required number of voter signatures to qualify for the ballot, but unlawful delays in processing them will lead to voters not having their voices heard. This lawsuit was filed to ensure fundamental rights are not violated and every voter signature is counted.”

— Florida Voters In Charge, on its challenge to state petition signature rules.

Bill Day’s Latest

3 Questions

Florida policymakers are currently reviewing HB 5 and SB 146, legislation that would ban abortion care at 15 weeks of gestation. The bill passed its second committee along party lines last week and is headed to its first of two committee stops in the Senate, Senate Health Policy, on Wednesday.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District XII and its member physicians across Florida are mobilizing to educate policymakers on abortion care and the need for evidence-based health care. Dr. Shelly Holmstrom is a practicing Tampa obstetrician-gynecologist and Chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District XII. She and physicians across the state are united on the importance of protecting a physician’s ability and ethical obligation to provide patients with the care they need.

Dr. Holmstrom spoke with Florida Politics about the impact of the 15-week abortion ban in HB 5 and SB 146 on Florida’s obstetricians and gynecologists. 

Q: What is the stance of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on abortion care?   

Holmstrom: Abortion is a necessary component of comprehensive health care. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to affirm the legal right of a patient to obtain an abortion prior to fetal viability.   

Q: Is there evidence-based reasoning to ban abortion care at 15 weeks of gestation?   

Holmstrom: There is no medical justification to ban abortion care at 15 weeks of gestation. Fifteen weeks is not of particular clinical significance and is well before viability.   

Patients may not know they are pregnant by 15 weeks due to a lack of regular menstrual cycles for a variety of reasons, including chronic diseases and other health complications or contraception. Many complications with pregnancy also emerge after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and many pregnant individuals face structural, logistical, or financial barriers to accessing medical care prior to 15 weeks.

Q: What is the ethical obligation of a physician surrounding abortion care?   

Holmstrom: Physicians have an ethical obligation to provide accurate information that is required for a patient to make a fully informed decision.   

While health care providers may have personal views, they should not seek to impose their personal bias or beliefs upon their patients or allow personal beliefs to compromise patient health, access to care, or informed consent.

Lobby Up

2020 and 2021 weren’t great for humans, but they were worse for manatees.

The affable aquatic mammals have been dying off in record numbers — more than 1,000 died in 2021, demolishing the previous record set in 2013. The deaths have been pinned on algal blooms and human activity killing seagrass, the staple of their diet. 

Either way, the species is back on the brink just four years after they were removed from the endangered species list.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium hopes to turn the tables by expanding its manatee rehabilitation programs, including by converting the facility formerly occupied by Winter the dolphin into a space to house struggling sea cows.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is hoping the Legislature will kick in $3 million to help fund the conversion and projects at other facilities and they’ve hired lobbyist Alan Suskey to help make sure the funding is included in the 2022-23 budget.

Suskey, who recently became a managing partner at Shumaker Advisors Tallahassee practice, said the aquarium is planning $10 million in manatee rehabilitation projects and it expects donors will contribute $7 million of the overall cost. The two Republicans representing Clearwater — Rep. Chris Latvala and Sen. Ed Hooper — have already filed appropriations requests for the project.

Breakthrough Insights

The Next 24

— A bill (SB 150) that would scrap the state’s no-fault auto insurance system will go before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee when it meets at 8:30 a.m. in Room 412 of the Knott Building.

— The Senate Community Affairs Committee will consider a bill (SB 512) that would create statewide vacation rental regulations when it meets at 8:30 a.m. in Room 37 of the Senate Office Building.

— The Senate Transportation Committee will hear a bill (SB 1178) allowing the use of digital license plates when it meets at 8:30 a.m. in Room 110 of the Senate Office Building

— The Senate Health Policy Committee will hear a controversial bill (SB 146) that would ban abortions after 15 weeks when it meets at 11 a.m. in Room 412 of the Knott Building.

— The House Local Administration & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee will consider a bill (HB 569) that would allow businesses to seek damages if local ordinances lower their profits. The committee meets at 11:30 a.m. in Room 404 of the House Office Building.

— The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a bill (SB 988) that would require patients at hospitals and nursing homes be able to receive visitors when meets at 2 p.m. in Room 412 of the Knott Building.

— The House will convene for a floor session at 2:30 p.m. The agenda includes a bill related to nursing home financial reporting (HB 539), the Senate redistricting map (SB 100), and a bill that would temporarily shield the names of lottery winners from public record (HB 159).

— The Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a confirmation hearing for Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon when it meets at 4 p.m. in Room 37 of the Senate Office Building.

Also, the following committees will meet.

— House Civil Justice & Property Rights Subcommittee meets at 8 a.m. in Room 404 of the House Office Building.

— The House Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee meets at 9 a.m. in Reed Hall.

— The House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee meets at 9 a.m. in Morris Hall.

— The House Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee meets at 9 a.m. in Room 212 of the Knott Building.

— The Senate Agriculture Committee meets at 11 a.m. in Room 110 of the Senate Office Building.

— The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee meets at 11 a.m. in Room 37 of the Senate Office Building.

— The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee meets at 11:30 a.m. in Morris Hall.

— The House Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee meets at 11:30 a.m. in Reed Hall.

— The House Professions & Public Health Subcommittee meets at 11:30 a.m. in Room 212 of the Knott Building.

— The Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee meets at 2 p.m. in Room 110 of the Senate Office Building.

— The Senate Agriculture, Environment and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee meets at 4 p.m. in Room 110 of the Senate Office Building.

— The Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee meets at 4 p.m. in Room 412 of the Knott Building.

Full committee agendas, including bills to be considered, are available on the House and Senate websites.